17 Apr
2017
17 Apr
'17
4:36 p.m.
Here's a writeup for those interested:
http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2017-04-15-
adventures-with-an-8-inch-disk-drive-part1.htm
One thing in this project puzzled me. Initially when I was testing the
drive I tried to format it for 77-tracks. I used the command FORMAT B: /u
/T:77 /N:15 . It wouldn't let me. MS-DOS said "
"Formatting 1.15M
parameters not supported by the drive"
After trying a few other things (unsuccessfully) I just tried a straight
FORMAT B: /u
It then formatted it without complaint?
Listening to the head moving, I counted 77 tracks. The last three tracks
the clicking stopped. I'm assuming the head just wrote over that final
track 3 times. MS-DOS told me I'd formatted for 1.2MB.
I'm puzzled why I couldn't format the disk using the /t:77 and /n:15
switches. Did MS-DOS just go by what was in the CMOS. If that's the case,
why have those switches at all? Are they just legacy switches for
pre-CMOS machines?
Anyone know the answer to this?
Terry (Tez)